New project to support migrant women* at the intersection of violence protection, migration and flight
Every day, women around the world are threatened by gender-based and domestic violence, regardless of social class, age, religion or origin. Migrant women and their children are disproportionately affected and therefore particularly vulnerable. Language barriers, a lack of knowledge about the legal situation and available support services, as well as legal frameworks, make it difficult to access important protective measures.
Together with the Ausländerrat Dresden e.V. (Dresden Foreigners’ Council) and the Fundación Red Incola, we will be implementing the RISE-project until the beginning of 2028 in Saxony and the Castilla y Léon region of Spain, thereby supporting women with migration and refugee experience. Especially we want to address women who are affected by gender-based and domestic violence. The focus is on resilience, stabilisation and empowerment, as well as long-term perspective development.
As a transnational consortium, we are developing low-threshold and trustworthy access to information and support in the form of specialised support centres, self-help groups, psychosocial and migration-law-related counselling services, including in rural areas, as well as training and awareness-raising services.
Individual services offered by the Saxon Refugee Council (Sächsischer Flüchtlingsrat e.V.):
Advice and support for migrant women in Saxony on issues relating to migration law – at the project locations in Dresden and Leipzig, as well as on a mobile basis in some Saxon districts. The focus is specifically on women who have already experienced gender-based violence or are at risk of it. This service complements the specialised support centre offering psychosocial counselling and protection guidance, run by the Dresden based Ausländerrat.
Training for professionals and volunteers, as well as awareness-raising on issues at the intersection of violence protection and migration, in particular the rights of migrant women, migration-specific and asylum law issues, and relevant support structures.
In addition, we want to further expand local and regional networks and contribute to strengthening existing support services in order to work together to combat violence against women and better protect those affected.
RISE – Resilience – Inclusion – Support – Empowerment is being implemented as part of the EU program “Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values” in the “Daphne” action area for the prevention and combating of gender-based violence. The model project supports the implementation of the Istanbul Convention and EU Directive 2024/1385 on combating violence against women and domestic violence.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.